


Off the Grid

by AvengersCompound (emilyevanston)



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Happy Steve Bingo, Hospitals, I just like poly steve and bucky, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Sick Character, Sweet, but it's just kinda there it also could not be, soft steve rogers, this will give you cavities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2018-11-14
Packaged: 2019-08-23 19:43:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16625270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emilyevanston/pseuds/AvengersCompound
Summary: Steve disappears to spend time with children stuck in the hospital.   Unfortunately, there is a mission and the Avengers need to find him.For my #Happy Steve Bingo card.  The Prompt was ‘caught at a tea party wearing a tiara'.





	Off the Grid

The first time he’d visited the children’s hospital had been part of a press thing.  All the Avengers had gone.  They had met with children.  Taken them gifts.  Played games for the camera.  It was all very inauthentic, but even still, something about the trip had touched Steve.  He could relate to the kids.  He knew what it was like to be sick.  How scary it was to think you were going to die before you’d even had a chance to live.  He also remembered what it was like to be treated like you were sick.  How shitty it felt.  How other it made you feel.

So he returned a week later.  This time alone, with his aviators on and his ball cap pulled low.  He approached the nurse’s station and was recognized immediately.  He asked if he could spend some time with the kids again.  They agreed enthusiastically.

When it was just him and the kids it felt good.  Like he was actually helping them feel better for that short time he was there.  Yes, they still looked at him and saw a superhero.  They still wanted photos and autographs.  They still asked him what it’s like to fight bad guys.  They also just played.  They let themselves enjoy that short time while he joined them in a game or read to them.  When he sat and colored or they taught him how to play video games.  While he was there they weren’t sick kids.  They were just kids getting to do something fun for a change.

After that, it became a regular thing.  Not that he’d go on the same day each week.  He couldn’t have done that if he wanted.  Being an Avenger meant unusual hours and he wasn’t always available at the same time every week.  He didn’t want to anyway.  If word got out he was there every Saturday at two it would become a circus.  Everyone’s family’s just happening to visit at the same time.  The media would start showing up.  It would stop being fun for anyone.

He just made time to come every week unless there was something big that took him out for the whole seven days.  Maybe it just meant over lunch on a Wednesday, but usually, he managed three hours give or take.

The more long-term kids had started just calling him Steve.  He loved how shocked the kids who had just been admitted would look when they did.  He now looked forward to the excited squeals of ‘Steve! Captain Rogers!  Come play in here!’

“Steve, can you come play with me?”  The small voice was accompanied by a tiny hand slipping into his.  He looked down to see 4-year-old Isabelle, holding his hand.  She was a tiny little girl who had been here since the very first time he had come.  She was frail and sick and the nurses kept telling him not long for the world.  Yet, every time he came back she was here.  She was a fighter like he had been.  He wished there was more he could do for her though.  Spending your life in a hospital was barely a life at all.

“Of course, Izzy.  Let’s go sign me in first, okay?”

* * *

 

The alarm had sounded indicating the team had to suit up assemble at the Quinjet.  Details were still hazy.  A terrorist attack on a government building was all they had.  The team gathered at the hanger waiting for Steve to give them their orders.

“Where’s, Cap?”  Sam asked looking at his arm display.

“I cannot reach, Captain Rogers,”  FRIDAY replied.  “It might be prudent if you leave without him.”

Tony turned and glared at Bucky.  “What the hell?  Did he tell you where he’d be?”

“No.  Why are you asking me?”  Bucky asked.

“He’s your husband.  Doesn’t that mean you keep track of each other?”

Bucky rolled his eyes.  “We aren’t actually married and besides, they call it a ball and chain.  He’s not actually chained to me.”

“You know who would know…”  Sam said raising his eye.

“Yeah.  Yeah okay.  She’d know for sure.”  Bucky agreed.

* * *

 

You had been at work when Tony and Bucky interrupted you.  While you hadn’t known exactly where he’d be, you had a couple of ideas.  The three of you checked his favorite pizza place in Brooklyn, the former site of Ebbets Field, and Rockaway Beach.

“You don’t think, something happened to him do you?”  Bucky asked scooting up close to you in the car as you got in after searching the site.

You put your hand on his knee and he linked your fingers with his.  “One last place I can think of.  If he’s not there.  Then we’ll put out an APB.”

Happy looked back at you from the front of the car.  “Where are we going?”

“Mount Sinai.”  You said simply.  Bucky’s brow furrowed and you patted his leg.  “Come on now, honey.  If it was that, you think they wouldn’t have already called us?”

You arrived at the Children’s Hospital and were directed to where Steve was currently visiting.  You hadn’t even made it halfway down the corridor when the kids noticed Tony and Bucky and began to swarm.

“You came too!  Are the other ‘Vengers coming?  Will you play?” The little voices all mashed together as the flocked on them.

“Sure, we can play.  But maybe show us where Captain America is.” Tony said picking one of the kids up.

“Steve is in there.” The little boy said pointing into a room.

You all trooped into the room, not at all prepared for the sight that greeted you.  Steve was sitting in the playroom at a tiny table.  His knees were almost up at his chest the chair he was sitting in was so small.  Gathered around him were several children, all in fancy dress, chatting animatedly and pretending to drink tea.  Steve had a pink blanket with hearts on it draped over his shoulders and a silver, plastic tiara with yellow plastic gems decorating it.

“Hey, Cap, this looks like fun,”  Tony said strolling over and putting the boy he was holding down.

Steve looked up and smiled sheepishly.  “We are having a lot of fun.  What are you doing here?”

“There was an emergency mission,”  Tony said taking a seat at the table.

“Oh.  Sorry.  I turned my phone off.”  Steve said going to take the tiara off.  You put your hand on his head and looked up at you.

“You need to tell us where you’re going,”  Bucky said.

“Yeah, you’re right, it won’t happen again.  I just wanted to keep this for me.”  He said turning back to Bucky.  You ran your fingers through his hair and leaned down and kissed him.  “Should we go then?”

“No!”  All the kids whined as one.  They sounded like the audience at a puppet show.

“It’s okay, it’s being handled,”  Tony said, holding out a plastic cup to one of the other kids.

“You can stay?”  Izzy asked Tony as she pretended to pour him a cup of tea.

“Yes, we can stay but I sure hope that’s whiskey in that pot.”  Tony joked.

“Thank you,”  Steve said, softly and you and Bucky pulled up chairs.  A little boy climbing into Bucky’s lap.

“So tea then?”  Buck said holding up his cup.

Steve smiled and pretended to pour him a cup as the kids started giggling.  He did love this, but maybe it wasn’t something he needed to keep to himself.


End file.
